"NOT JUST ELEVEN", SAYS A NIGERIAN AS SENATES PASSES BILL
This is not a bid as an activist or another misuse of the social media to get publicity. Nah! This is serious and an attempt to share what has become a nightmare. Simply put the betrayal from those whom we have entrusted our future and that of our children.
Case in point, on Wednesday, June 3, 2015, the Senate shocked Nigeria by passing 46 bills in 10 minutes. One still wonder why they did so; was it to create a record or to create a headline that could easily swallow the REAL HEADLINE knowing full well that Nigerians sadly would be swayed from the hidden tragedy.
As you read this, take a moment and look at the child, the little angel around you. They could be your children, your siblings, your cousin, nephew or niece or just a child in your neighbourhood. The REAL NEWS is, they have been exposed, betrayed and their abuse, decided to be legalized. This ultimately shows our inability to protect them.
Among the bills passed is the life imprisonment for rapists and those who have sex with children under 11 years old, a Nigerian newspaper reported and since, has caused a national argument that it does not lower the consent age of children to have sexual intercourse from the 18 years as stated in the 2013 Sexual Offense Bill sponsored by Senator Chris Anyanwu to 11 years.
However, indirectly, the Nigerian government are about to allow the sexual intercourse between an adult (18 – above) and a child (12 – 17) if there is a form of binding document between the adult and another party apart from the child whose future is destroyed.
Lest not forget the context in which we live in; the poverty context, the insecurity context, poor education, lack of information and majorly, corruption. These contexts make not only children vulnerable but their guidance (parent etc) vulnerable too. You can imagine the outcome of this vulnerability especially when the solution – deceitfully is by giving away a child to be abused in the name of marriage.
But this should not be our excuse. This is when we should stand up for a country we believe in; a government we believe in. Not a government of some group of people but that stands for all, by all and with all. CHILDREN DESERVES SAFE SPACES and need to be protected.
This is a general call to all Nigerians and friends of children. Say NO to the bill that indirectly allows children between the ages of 12 – 17 to be legally abused. Join the hash tag #NotJustEleven and sign a petition requesting the President not to sign the bill if not reviewed and supported by Nigerians and Children as well.
God bless us all!
Kenechukwu Ogbuagu
@globalkene